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robertod2004's review
3.0
With thanks to the author, Faber and Faber publishers, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchanged for my honest and unbiased review.
A mass evacuation of children from London to avoid the expected Nazi bombings leads to the arrival in Polstead of several bus loads of little ones looking for temporary homes with the village residents. In the ensuing chaos a local girl goes missing, while tensions rise and secrets threaten to be revealed as the search for the girl goes on!
This was my first book by this author, and I was not aware that it was the latest in a long series when I read it. Perhaps if I had read some of those previous instalments I would have cared a bit more about the characters, but as it was I found myself growing a little indifferent to their various plights as the story unfolded. And there were a lot of characters, especially at the beginning, so I did find it a little difficult to keep track of them all. I also struggled to see what real value some of them (e.g. Noah) brought to the story.
The ending, where the culprit and his crimes are eventually revealed, was dark and quite disturbing. Not a bad thing it itself but for me it felt a little bit rushed. Certainly no happy ending here, but that seems to be a pattern for this series from what I have read subsequently. However, the writer's writing style and use of language is a joy to read, and I felt that she captured and conveyed the mood of the village very well throughout.
A mass evacuation of children from London to avoid the expected Nazi bombings leads to the arrival in Polstead of several bus loads of little ones looking for temporary homes with the village residents. In the ensuing chaos a local girl goes missing, while tensions rise and secrets threaten to be revealed as the search for the girl goes on!
This was my first book by this author, and I was not aware that it was the latest in a long series when I read it. Perhaps if I had read some of those previous instalments I would have cared a bit more about the characters, but as it was I found myself growing a little indifferent to their various plights as the story unfolded. And there were a lot of characters, especially at the beginning, so I did find it a little difficult to keep track of them all. I also struggled to see what real value some of them (e.g. Noah) brought to the story.
The ending, where the culprit and his crimes are eventually revealed, was dark and quite disturbing. Not a bad thing it itself but for me it felt a little bit rushed. Certainly no happy ending here, but that seems to be a pattern for this series from what I have read subsequently. However, the writer's writing style and use of language is a joy to read, and I felt that she captured and conveyed the mood of the village very well throughout.
naluju's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Missing children make this a difficult read. Well plotted, 1940s England, evacuation of children from London.
jessixk's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
shropgirl's review
4.0
This is the tenth book in the Josephine Tey series of novels by Nicola Upson and I enjoyed this one more than some of the others.
It is the 1st September 1939 and the mass evacuation of children from London to the safety of the countryside has begun. The author describes well the panic, chaos, the misery and upset that parents and children experience.
Josephine and her lover Marta are living in Suffolk where the vicar’s wife is organising families in the community to accept an evacuee into their homes. Various commitments mean initially that Josephine and Marta cannot take a child but they agreed to help with the children’s arrival. When two buses arrive instead of the anticipated one there is further chaos and confusion.
The Herrons, two sisters and their brother have agreed to take Betty but they will not accept Betty’s brother Noah. Josephine and Marta accept the Noah provisionally although they find that he is emotionally disturbed and troubled.
Upson introduces Margery Allingham into this book and Margery and Josephine have agreed to judge various competitions at the local fete the following day. A local family discover that their daughter has gone missing. Josephine’s friend and police detective Archie Penrose has also come down to Suffolk on his day off work and he initiates the search. He is in the middle of a murder investigation in London where the body of a rent man has been found in a block of flats.
When it is discovered that there is another missing child, a girl evacuee, hidden secrets within the village begin to emerge. It is obviously that there are several people who have something to hide.
Nicola Upson writing is excellent, her descriptions of the evacuation in London and in the village was vividly brought to life, the historical aspect being well researched. The despair of the parents of the evacuees and the parents of the missing child was well described and quite emotional. Initially the story begins quite slowly, setting the scene and laying out the beginning of the plot. The pace increases and there is tension which the reader feels as Upson brings the various strands of the plot together to a satisfactory conclusion.
floradora03's review
5.0
I have loved all of these books, partly because Josephine Tey was my favourite detective story writer as a teenager. In fact my favourite book, Brat Farrar is by Josephine Tey. I think I enjoyed this one more than a few of the later ones. I liked the setting right at the start of the Second World War and the contrast between what was happening in big cities like London compared to rural villages. I enjoyed reading about the Tiptree firm and their care for their workforce. The highlight for me though, was the inclusion of another of my favourite crime authors, Margery Allingham and I really hope she comes into the books again - perhaps she should have a series of her own.
ngalbani's review
4.0
This is my first novel of Josephine Tey series; previously I read by Nicola Upson "Stanley and Elsie" and I loved it so I wanted to try these series.
I loved: the settings, the historical background and the different characters description and development. What I didn’t love was the pace of the book, very slow at the beginning and then everything resolved in few pages.
I have to say the story is quite sad because involve children kidnapping and killing.
Thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Nicola Upson for the ARC.
I loved: the settings, the historical background and the different characters description and development. What I didn’t love was the pace of the book, very slow at the beginning and then everything resolved in few pages.
I have to say the story is quite sad because involve children kidnapping and killing.
Thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Nicola Upson for the ARC.
henrymarlene's review
2.0
I had not heard of the Josephine Tey series before when I started reading "Dear Little Corpses". I wonder if I would not have been so confused if I had that background knowledge - NetGalley, again you do not provide enough background info!
On the cusp of the war, children were being evacuated from London to keep them safe. Several families are requested to take in children. One family has taken in a young girl but do not want to take in her brother. The next day, one of the local children goes missing. It seems to take forever just to get to this point. What happened to the child? Why? How? Why does it seem like there are so many secrets surrounding these disappearances? It was interesting at this point that the focus on loss was apparent: the loss of children sent away from their families in a time of war, when loss and displacement was huge, the disappearance and loss of children in the village, and the death of children.
In a nutshell, this book is about the despicable disappearance of little children. It takes a very long while for the plot to get moving and I found this to be quite frustrating. You are introduced to every single character and are provided with all of their perspectives which does provide a solid basis for the disappearances but does nothing to create the tension in a supposed thriller like this one.
On the cusp of the war, children were being evacuated from London to keep them safe. Several families are requested to take in children. One family has taken in a young girl but do not want to take in her brother. The next day, one of the local children goes missing. It seems to take forever just to get to this point. What happened to the child? Why? How? Why does it seem like there are so many secrets surrounding these disappearances? It was interesting at this point that the focus on loss was apparent: the loss of children sent away from their families in a time of war, when loss and displacement was huge, the disappearance and loss of children in the village, and the death of children.
In a nutshell, this book is about the despicable disappearance of little children. It takes a very long while for the plot to get moving and I found this to be quite frustrating. You are introduced to every single character and are provided with all of their perspectives which does provide a solid basis for the disappearances but does nothing to create the tension in a supposed thriller like this one.
thatsme_lauravz's review
4.0
*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review*
3.5 stars rounded up
During the evacuation of children from London at the beginning of World War Two, a little girl goes missing. While the village searches for her, long-buried secrets are unearthed and the truth of her disappearance is worse than anyone could have imagined.
TW: death of children
This book kept me guessing until the last second, but when all was revealed it every piece of the puzzle fit together perfectly. The mystery part of this book was SO satisfying, and I want to commend the author for that because I was blown away by how it all came together! It was also an excellent peek into a specific historical event and the incorporation of real-life characters was fantastic. This is the 10th book in a series, but it read flawlessly as a stand-alone.
At times, I did find it hard to keep up with the cast of characters, and at the beginning I really struggled with the amount of exposition there was in order to set the scene. But again, the ending made it all worth it.
I would strongly caution people who are thinking about reading this that there are multiple deaths of young children, so if you are someone who finds that triggering this book may not be for you.
3.5 stars rounded up
During the evacuation of children from London at the beginning of World War Two, a little girl goes missing. While the village searches for her, long-buried secrets are unearthed and the truth of her disappearance is worse than anyone could have imagined.
TW: death of children
This book kept me guessing until the last second, but when all was revealed it every piece of the puzzle fit together perfectly. The mystery part of this book was SO satisfying, and I want to commend the author for that because I was blown away by how it all came together! It was also an excellent peek into a specific historical event and the incorporation of real-life characters was fantastic. This is the 10th book in a series, but it read flawlessly as a stand-alone.
At times, I did find it hard to keep up with the cast of characters, and at the beginning I really struggled with the amount of exposition there was in order to set the scene. But again, the ending made it all worth it.
I would strongly caution people who are thinking about reading this that there are multiple deaths of young children, so if you are someone who finds that triggering this book may not be for you.
frog_princess's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
emiliaheiden's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0